The Democrats Haul Out Another Vet

This time it’s Senator Daniel Inouye, who served heroically in World War II. The Democrats obviously think the Republicans’ new ad attacking their “Surrender Now” position on Iraq is effective; Drudge reports:

Today, Senator Daniel Inouye, the Ranking Member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his service in World War II, released the following statement:

“As a Veteran of World War II, I know what its like to fight a war and put your life on the line every day. I also know what it takes to win a war, and I know that politics and an attack machine like the Presidents plays no part in it.

“The Republican Partys latest ad is a shameful and disgusting attempt to distract the American people from the problems in Iraq. It may improve the Presidents political fortunes, but the American people and our troops will pay the price. I hope that President Bush realizes how shameful it is to play politics when what we really need is leadership, and that he will direct his Party to take down this ad immediately.”

This is really one of the dumbest statements we’ve seen from the Democrats yet. Inouye says he “knows what it takes to win a war.” But the Democrats aren’t talking about how to win in Iraq, they are talking about abandoning the effort. That is to say, losing.

Inouye says the ad seeks to “distract the American people from the problems in Iraq.” Actually, of course, there is no chance the American people will forget that there are problems in Iraq, since nearly every news report about the country focuses exclusively on those problems. What Inouye wants is for all the news to be bad all the time, and for the Republicans to refrain from pointing out that in fact, notwithstanding the problems, we are not losing in Iraq. We are winning. It is not defeat in Iraq the Democrats fear, it is victory. They are scared to death that it is happening before their eyes.

Finally, Inouye denounces the Republicans for “playing politics” on Iraq. This is hilarious. The ad shows Democrats saying that we have no chance to win in Iraq and should pull out. How is it “playing politics” to let the American people know what the Democrats are saying? Are the Democrats ashamed of their own words? And why isn’t it “playing politics” when the Democrats launch one false, vicious attack after another against the administration, but only when the administration defends itself?

The truth is that the Democrats have never done anything about Iraq other than to play politics. When they thought it was to their political advantage, they pretended to support the war. The moment they thought it was to their political advantage to abandon our soldiers’ efforts, that’s what they advocated. They pretend that no progress is being made in Iraq when they know that is not the case, and they try to shout down anyone who disagrees with them. What is prompting the present hysteria is that they are afraid the Iraq issue isn’t playing the way they expected it to. What a party! Two and a half years into a war, and they’re still trying to keep their options open.